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Heavy battle for Bakhmut is ongoing. In the city, Wagner fighters continue to storm the fortified areas of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the multi-storey buildings in the west of the city. On the outskirts of Bakhmut, the Ukrainian units continue attempts to break through Russian defences.
The main direction of Russian assault is the are of multi-storey buildings located between Chaikovskoho and Dekabristov streets.
Source: Military Chronicles
The head of the Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin showed the map and explained the situation in the city. The so-called nest, horse and constructor districts are already under control of Wagner fighters. Domino is the last area, where the AFU are fiercely resisting. A small area in the south of Chaikovskoho street, near the Mig-17 monument is also still under the Ukrainian control. The Ukrainian military is evacuating the wounded from there.
Here is the map explained. The areas under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are highlighted in red.
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In the house marked with blue, Wagner fighters found the dead US mercenary, Nicholas Naimer.
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His body will be transferred to the US with the support of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR):
“Of course, I will hand over the body of the American, I will do it specifically for The Washington Post. They responded to my request, today I personally received all the names, passwords, (all the necessary information). Now we will work with customers. We will work hard, “within the law,” I would say so. And of course I will transfer the body, guess through whom. Who didn’t guess, a hint: through the GUR, through Kirill Budanov.” Prigozhin said.
On the same video above, the military commander added that the day before 21 civilians were evacuated by Wagner forces from the house nearby.
Another video was filmed by a Wagner fighter, showing the building mined by Ukrainian forces. Numerous civilians confirmed that Ukrainian servicemen blew up their houses, killing civilians who were hiding inside. LINK, LINK, LINK It was also earlier reported that the Kiev regime was preparing a provocation. They mined a house on Yubileinaya street, where dozens of civilians were hiding, in order to blame the Wagner PMC for the war crime. LINK
The situation on the city outskirts remains tense. Ukrainian forces are storming Russian positions in the south from their stronghold in Krasnoe (Ivanivske) in an attempt to reach the village of Klesheevka where a command heigh is located. At the same time, fighting is ongoing north of Bogdanovka, where the AFU attempt to cut the road between Berkhovka and Yagodnoe.
Over the past day, no Ukrainian gains were reported.
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It was revealed that on May 13, Russian artillery destroyed a strategically-important bridge which connected the village of Krasnoe (Ivanovskoye) with the so-called “road of life”, the T-0504 between Chasov Yar and Bakhmut. A significant part of the Ukrainian reinforcements were transferred across this bridge to the southwestern part of Artemovsk, to the area of the former Artem state farm.
On May 16, the head of the DPR claimed after the recent advances of the AFU, Russian flanks were strengthened by additional forces.
“There is a difficult situation on the flanks, there are probably the most active actions of the enemy. For Ukraine in general, Artyomovsk (Bakhmut) has become the biggest problem, and, of course, they have thrown quite serious reserves there. Just on the flanks — the main direction for probing the defense.
They had some successes, but, I’ll tell you, we transferred our guys from other sites, strengthened them, so I think the front there should be straightened,” the head of the DPR said.
According to Russian media, four more battalions were deployed in the area. They are not expected to advance in the near future but the additional forces could help to strengthen Russian flanks. The AFU has so far achieved some tactical success but they have already paid for the advance with the lives of hundreds of servicemen.
